You deserved better. I deserved better.
Elisa mourns the life her dad’s addiction never allowed either of them to truly live.
Elisa mourns the life her dad’s addiction never allowed either of them to truly live.
Death of a parent
We begged, we pleaded, we negotiated
Charlotte’s story follows early denial of her mum’s drinking to a final goodbye.
Charlotte’s story follows early denial of her mum’s drinking to a final goodbye.
Why did no one notice?
Liz’s poem reflects on the times her childhood experiences went unnoticed.
Liz’s poem reflects on the times her childhood experiences went unnoticed.
Alcohol addiction is the elephant in the room
Kelly was 11 when she realised her dad had a drinking problem.
Kelly was 11 when she realised her dad had a drinking problem.
Alcohol robbed me of my beautiful mum
Siobhan often said she had two mums: a daytime mum and an evening mum.
Siobhan often said she had two mums: a daytime mum and an evening mum.
It was never mine to hold
Sally learned from an early age not to question and not to feel emotions.
Sally learned from an early age not to question and not to feel emotions.
The chaos lived in a bottle
Running was Leah’s escape from her mother’s alcoholism.
Running was Leah’s escape from her mother’s alcoholism.
I have a story
My children lost their dad to drink three years ago at the age of 52.
My children lost their dad to drink three years ago at the age of 52.
I was worried people might see me and my family as different
Which version of my Dad would I see? Dishevelled and smelly or bright eyed and present.
Which version of my Dad would I see? Dishevelled and smelly or bright eyed and present.
Our story is not one of sadness, it is one of pure resilience with love at its core
Your past does not define you.
Your past does not define you.
